Let's Rewrite the Stars Between You and I
by Malakia
Summary: Hashirama was just coming to visit his counterpart, Madara, when he gets lost in the Moon Realm. He didn't expect to find a mysterious god that catches his attention. But they are both intertwined deeper than he could ever imagine. How will they come to handle it? Part of a series: The Brightest Star in My Eye
1. Chapter 1

When Madara had asked him to come to the Moon Court, Hashirama hadn't felt there was a need to bring his attendants. After all, it was just a simple invitation for lunch, probably at the behest of the moon gods' new consort, Minato. In his excited haste, the sun god made a lapse in judgment in that he _forgot_ how easy it was to get lost (even if he had visited the Court more times than he could count). Still, sometimes getting lost could lead to the _best_ surprises.

He stood a little behind the tree trunk of a willow. The hanging branches, including the constant night that was of the Court's realm, hid his form and the golden glow that surrounded his body. But the willow's leaves were cut into a gap and gave him the perfect view of the lake beyond.

His wide eyes were entranced by the scene before him. A person he had never seen before was dancing on the lake's water without disrupting its surface. It wasn't such an odd sight since it was a fairly common scene with all sorts of beings from either Courts. But Hashirama had never seen a sight so _beautiful_ before.

Dark robes fluttered around the mysterious male as he danced. From his position, the sun god could make out the hints of jewelry the pale skinned man wore: rings on his right hand, earrings in both ears, and silver diadem with a large gem that sat across his forehead. His arms were bare but Hashirama could see dark sheer short sleeves and silver cuffs that connected similar draped dark fabric to the man's obi around his waist.

The stranger's hair _sparkled_ against his dark locks. Hashirama wasn't sure if it was natural or if it was because of the lights that surrounded him while he danced.

Around his arms, head, and waist were much smaller orbs of light, something Hashirama silently called Twinklies as they sparkled and shined. As the man danced in a way the sun god had never seen before, the Twinklies would switch with each other with no reason or pattern. Sometimes, when the man turned, one would fly off. But when it did, it would immediately be pulled back toward the owner's orbit.

The dance wasn't necessarily _erotic, _but there was a certain sensuality in the movements. In the way he moved his hips, arms, neck, and in the way he would bend his back or do a flip. It made Hashirama's heart beat fast and mouth go dry. He would be lying if it didn't also give him ideas about what _other positions _he could get that body to perform.

The sun god couldn't tear his eyes away, even when the dance came to an end.

The mysterious stranger stopped close to where Hashirama hid. He breathed deeply but not harshly and there were no other signs that the dance had worn him out. His arms had created a circle and, inside, all the Twinklies had gathered. He gazed at them with a tilt of his head and a soft smile.

"That looks like it has done you all some good," he murmured proudly as he nodded his head.

Hashirama didn't hear a response and he wondered if it was something only the other man could.

When the young man spread his arms, Hashirama expected for the Twinklies to scatter and return to their previous positions. Instead, a small ripple happened in front of him. A little dimensional portal then opened and all the Twinklies were funneled into it. When the last one went through, the stranger waved a hand and the portal closed.

He had to be a god with a power like that. On top of it, Hashirama had felt the shift of Essence in the air: the kind that set his hair on end and made his insides shiver. It was like his own but surprisingly far _powerful _and _older _for a man that looked younger than the sun god.

The mysterious god turned toward Hashirama with closed eyes and a gentle grin, and started moving forward to the shore where the tree was.

Hashirama gulped to wet his throat before he emerged from his hiding spot. He put on his brightest grin and call out, "Hello!"

The man jumped with a loud gasp as his eyes snapped open.

If felt like the air had been punched out of Hashirama's lung when they met. The god's wide irises were beautifully dark and fathomless, but the sun god could see flecks of tinier lights twinkling brightly in them.

They both stared at each other for a moment and Hashirama felt like a fool. Normally he would have something else to say but at the second his mind had gone blank. Then, ever so slowly, the man before him stiffened as his pale cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink. It also delighted the sun god that the Twinklies had seen before were _not _the cause of the sparkling light in the other god's hair as they started shining brighter and twinkling rapidly.

Hashirama bit his bottom lip to suppress a giggle at the display but felt the corners of his lips tilt upward. He turned his head to the side, covered his mouth, and cleared his throat to cover it up.

When he looked back the mysterious stranger was still standing close to where the water met land, just staring at him. It made Hashirama smile and then slowly start to approach him. "Hello," the sun god repeated, the jewelry on his wrist clinking together to break the silence. "I'm sorry to intrude but I couldn't help but see you dancing-"

He stopped moving and blinked when the stranger let out a strangled sound in his throat and his face became an alarming shade of red.

The younger man then turned to the side with a bowed head, slapped a hand over his mouth, and cursed softly. The sparkling in his hair increased as well.

Hashirama felt himself stiffen. "Oh," he breathed, "did I accidentally stumble upon you doing your Sacred Dance?" Some gods were known to have Sacred Dances that were not allowed to be seen by others.

"What!? No!" the man yelled as he snapped his head back towards the sun god. He frowned, eyebrows coming together. "I-no!-what I mean-!" He let out another strangled sound before he bowed his head and his hands covered his face. During his stuttering, the rest of his body turned towards Hashirama.

Hashirama waited, relaxing a tiny bit but not fully. Still, with a smile, he dared ventured a little closer until his bare feet touched the edges of the water. He took it when the sparkling in the man's hair died down, it meant the other man was okay to talk again.

The theory was proven right when the other deity finally lowered his arms and lifted his head. His face was very red with a tired frown. "It wasn't a Sacred Dance," he muttered flatly. "I just... I'm just not... used to others seeing me dance."

Hashirama let out a soft sigh, body loosening fully, as he smiled. "Well that's a relief to know," he chuckled. "I was very worried I had there for a moment!'

The man huffed, crossed his arms over his chest, and turned his head to the side. Hashirama couldn't stop his smile from growing at seeing the other's mouth tilting upward a little.

"As I was saying...," the sun god went on with a cough and caught the other's attention again.

"I, uh, got lost, you see," his smile turned sheepish as one of his hands came up and rubbed the back of his neck. "Then I saw you dancing and was wondering if you could help me."

The god uncrossed his arms, letting them fall to his side and he tilted his head with a small frown. "You got _lost?_"

"In my defense!" Hashirama guilty giggled and shifted on his feet. "This place is _very _easy to get lost in."

The other just huffed with a roll of his eyes and shook his head.

"You're... you're looking for the Moon Palace, I take it?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

After Hashirama nodded, the man turned his head and pointed toward a forest path not far away. "You're not far," he explained as he lowered his arm and turned to look back at the sun deity. "Just follow that path all the way down until you come to a covered path at the end. The covered path will take you directly to the Palace."

Hashirama bit his bottom lip. The instructions were easy enough but knowing his luck at this point there would be a fork in the road that the other had forgotten to mention. Also, he _really _didn't want to let this mysterious god go just yet.

"Can you accompany me?" he asked. When the other's eyes widened and blinked at him, Hashirama grinned and added, "I don't trust myself not getting lost."

The other god looked at him incredulously. "It's literally a straight path!"

Hashirama slumped in defeat, head dropped, and a small pout on his lips. "My apologies," he muttered, "you're probably very busy."

There was a moment of silence before he heard a soft, "Well... not-not _too _busy." It made the sun god blink with wide eyes and he raised his head.

The other wasn't looking at him, eyes cast to the side. There was another pinkish blush on his cheeks with the sparkles in his hair moving fast again. "If- if you really need a guide," he shifted on his feet and looked up at Hashirama for a second before his blush darkened, "I- I guess, I can take you."

A wide grin crossed Hashirama's face. He breathed in as he stood straight and his chest filled with a pleasant, inexplicable warmth. "That would be wonderful!"

The other nodded, still refusing to look at the sun deity, before he strolled to the shore.

When he was close enough, Hashirama stuck out his hand for the other to take. Startled, the god stopped as his eyes went wide. He looked up and his face grew an even darker shade. But rather than getting stuttery, he scowled and crossed his arms over his chest. With a small huff, he then walked right past Hashirama's hand and onto the embankment.

Rather than take offense, Hashirama just giggled at his antics as the other breezed past him.

The two of them then set off. Hashirama kept to the man's right while they strolled along but didn't say anything. He was more interested in observing the man out of the corner of his eye.

The first thing he noticed was the close details of the man's earrings. There were multiples of them. Two were silver studs, one on top in a form of three dots and another through the tragus in a five-pointed shape. Another was a silver conch earring looped around the upper middle of the ear on the side. The last two though were intricate.

At the bottom of the ear looked like a delicate thread. It almost looked like two different earrings as one end was pierced and then sewn through the ear lobe. But with the ends of the piece of jewelry hanging loose for the sun god to see, he assumed they must be interconnected. But it was the last one that really stood out.

It was a piece of art; each point was an individual piercing. Hashirama easily recognized the shape of the Big Dipper as the pan started on the upper ear lobe and the handle curved onto the rest of the ear. Each stud had small, thin chains that started off from behind the ear and ended with bursting, pointed stars.

And that seemed to be the theme with the god: stars. From his hair that now reminded Hashirama of the distant stars in the night, to the robes where he could see the outlines of constellations in the cloth, the silver rings that adorned his right hand, and even to his slippers which had a starburst as the tongue of each shoe.

But... Hashirama _knew _the star god couldn't be him. Although he had personally never met the other, the god of stars was one of the Eternal deities, and _they _all looked _ancient. _

So that begged the question, who was _this _god? Perhaps the consort to the star god?

The other man had his hands crossed over his chest still, so Hashirama could see the left hand fully if he turned his head. When he did, he caught the other's attention and their eyes met. Hashirama grinned and the other god's face grew red again before he quickly looked away and hunched his shoulders as he walked faster. But the sun god had seen what he needed, the other god's left hand was bare of any jewelry, meaning he wasn't married or taken.

Hashirama's grin widened as he caught up to the other again. He wondered if the bubbling warmth in his chest was something Tobirama felt as he solved a puzzle.

"This may be rude to ask," the sun god finally spoke. He waited until the other man looked at him with a questioning expression. "But do you live in this realm? I'm afraid I never have seen you before."

The god's cheeks darkened before he turned away. "It- It's fine," he mumbled his shoulders relaxing as he unfolded his arms. The right fell limply by his side but the left went up to his other ear. He was doing something with it, something that Hashirama could not see.

"I, uh," the man started, "I do live here... I just... never really wanted to meet other gods..."

Hashirama nodded. He knew many gods who were just too shy to come out and talk with others.

"You should come to a celebration some time," he tried to persuade. He grinned at the other's noise of surprise and he turned his head to the sun god. "You dance beautifully! And maybe we can even dance that dance together!"

The other's face became an alarming shade of red again, stars in his hair twinkling faster. "It-It's a solo dance!" he snapped.

Hashirama just tilted his head to the side as his grin widened. "That's alright," he stated, unperturbed, "there are plenty of couple dances I know. I could even teach you!"

It nearly sent the sun deity into giggles again when the other let out another strangled noise as he turned his head forward.

Although when the other suddenly snapped out with his right hand towards Hashirama's wrist and began forcefully pulling him along, it was the sun god's turn to let out a surprised yelp.

"H-here!" the mysterious god stuttered. "W- We're almost there!"

Hashirama looked ahead of them and there was a polished, railed marble overlook. In the center, there was the covered walkway that the other had described.

When they came to a stop at the overlook and walkway stairs, below them the whole Moon Palace gleamed under the projected moon's light. And as the sun god had been told, the covered pathway led straight to the palace. He also hadn't failed to notice that the other god had yet to let go of his wrist.

"Oh!" Hashirama sighed in relief and refused to comment on the continuing touch. "Thank you so much for bringing me!"

The other man turned to look at him and once again the sun god was lost in his fathomless eyes. There was still a pinkish hue to his cheeks which brought out the sparkle of his orbs. And then the god smiled, big and bright with teeth, and Hashirama couldn't help but notice how _charming _it made him look. "You're welcome," the other laughed.

Then he looked down and his eyes widened before he snatched his hand away. Hashirama tried not to pout; it felt colder where the other had let go.

The younger man coughed and began playing with his left earring again. He turned away to go back to the forest and it allowed Hashirama to see the act.

As the other god twirled the starburst end at the bottom of the small chain, it took Hashirama a moment to realize it, but there was something different about the silver piece of jewelry that made it different than the others. It shined and sparkled with a sort of energy around it that reminded Hashirama of the other man's Essence. It was a piece of Essence Jewelry. The sun god's eyebrows shot up before they furrowed. Deities weren't known to wear their own Essence Jewelry. It was always given to the one they claimed as their own.

"Well, you can't get lost now," the god spoke over his shoulder and pulled Hashirama out of his ponderings, "so, I guess, this is where we part ways."

"Oh..." Hashirama couldn't stop his shoulders from slumping, mouth twisting into an unsatisfied frown.

The other stopped before he turned around, his hand falling away from the earring, with a small frown. "What?"

"Well I...," Hashirama shifted on his feet and his cheeks grew warm, "I was sort of hoping you could continue to walk with me."

The man raised an eyebrow. "Why? The walkway is right there. No way you can get lost."

Hashirama smiled as he chuckled. "Because I want to get to know you!" he told plainly.

The sun god nearly giggled again when the other blushed red and hair sparkled. "We- well I am busy!" he snapped, but without much heat and crossed his arms over his chest. He huffed turning his head to the side with a comical pout.

"I understand," Hashirama chuckled and nodded. "Thank you again for bringing me this far." He felt his smile soften. "Perhaps I can see you again?"

When the other man turned to look back at him, there was _something _that flashed in his sparkling eyes. It was out of place and deep. But before Hashirama could decipher it, the god cast his eyes to the ground and closed them as he raised a hand to the left earring again. "Maybe..."

Hashirama felt something twitch in his chest but pushed it down. "Alright," he nodded, even if the other couldn't see. He didn't have a right to demand to see the other god but he silently vowed he _would. _Just from the little they interacted, he knew he couldn't let the other slip through his fingers.

He turned away. As he put his hands on the banister to go down the stairs, he stopped when a thought occurred to him. He nearly wanted to smack himself in the face. "Forgive me, I completely forgot to ask!" he rushed out. He felt Essence shift in the air but ignored it as he turned around. "My name's Hashirama. What's yo... urs...?"

His eyes widened as he looked at the spot where the other man had once stood. But now there was nothing; as if he had never been there at all.

Hashirama's bottom lip stuck out as he frowned and leaned up against the support beams of the walkway. But just as quickly as his down feeling came it was replaced by something soft and warm as he thought about the other man's antics.

He smiled and chuckled softly. "What a strange god...," he mused with a hum as he turned and walked away.


	2. Chapter 2

The promise Hashirama made to himself about the mysterious god was harder to keep than he thought.

After their first meeting, the sun deity could never run into him again. The other had said that he lived in the Moon Realm but no matter how often Hashirama visited or explored, Hashirama could never find the other god. Like he never even existed.

Sometimes he thought he might have spotted the other. A flick of a dark robe behind a corner or a flash of dark star shine hair. But whenever he went to check there was nothing there. It felt like he was intentionally being _avoided. _

As of the latest visits, he started to think that perhaps he was going crazy and imagined the person.

To confirm or deny the idea, he asked the only person he knew who would know all the residence in the Moon Court.

"You mean Obito?" Madara asked as he placed down his cup. "The star god?"

He, Madara, Izuna, and Minato currently all sat at a table in the Sun Palace. Hashirama had invited them over for a meal to enjoy his friend's company and ask his questions. They were off on a covered balcony that overlooked many of the green and colorful gardens. As it always was, the weather was warm and pleasant with the projection of the sun overhead that constantly lit the realm. It was such a contrast to the Moon Realm's continuous darkness that had low lights and lanterns.

Sadly, the sun god's siblings were not present like they normally would have been. Tobirama, Itama, Kawarama, and Touka were with the earth god, Yamato, holding a small meeting that was sure to be brought up to Hashirama and Madara's attention at a later date. Hashirama honestly wished they were here just because it was very rare for everyone to come together. His siblings all had their own things to take care of between the Moon and Sun Courts, just how Izuna was in his brother's realm.

"His name is Obito?" Hashirama sat up straighter in his seat while a smile grew on his face. The name also tickled something in the back of his mind, like he had heard it before. But then his thought and grin dropped when he comprehended the last part of what Madara had said. "Wait!? He _is_ the star god!?"

The moon god rolled his eyes with a huff while Izuna giggled.

Hashirama slumped back in his seat and tilted his head with a pout. "He looks so _young _though_..."_

"His appearance _is _very deceiving," Minato agreed with a chuckle and it made Hashirama look towards him. The lightning deity smiled in understanding. "But, believe me, Obito _is_ the god of the stars."

Madara raised an eyebrow. "I would have thought his attire would have given him away."

Hashirama felt his ear grow warm as he stuck out his bottom lip. "I thought he was the star god's consort or something."

"Honestly, it isn't surprising," Izuna said after he swallowed his food. "Afterall, Madara didn't introduce the two of you like he was supposed to."

This gave the sun god pause and he frowned. Before he could ask for clarification, Madara snarled and slammed his fist on the table. "Izuna!"

Everyone grew quiet, leaving only the sounds of animals from the gardens below them to break the silence.

Observing the moon god, Hashirama noted how tense the other's whole body was now. Added to it was the dark red coloring of his face and his lips twisted into an ugly frown.

Izuna, for his part, just eyed his brother with a neutral expression. He met his elder's eyes dead on. There was a silent communication between the two of them- something Hashirama couldn't possibly understand but knew well.

But then Izuna's face softened as his shoulders relaxed. He rested his left elbow on the table and leaned his head onto his hand. "Really, brother? What is the point of keeping it a secret now?"

Madara's visible fist tightened even more while he pressed his lips firmly together.

"Madara..." Minato's left hand reached out and covered his consort's fist. The gesture proudly showed off the red and black Essence Ring on his ring finger that held Madara's Essence. Madara also wore the lightning deity's ring on his own unseen left hand. A statement to others that they were only faithful to each other.

Madara turned to look at his partner, and Hashirama knew from experience, the heavy weight of the moon god's stare when he was upset. It spoke volumes of Minato that the deity only smiled softly and reached out with his other hand to cup the other's face. "Surely it can't be that bad...," he reasoned. "Izuna speaks as it happened years ago."

Hashirama released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding when he saw Madara's shoulders slowly loosen. And when the moon deity opened his hand and flipped it over to take his consort's, Hashirama was truly at ease.

"Might as well have happened yesterday," Madara muttered as he gazed down at the table, eyes troubled," for all its worth."

"Your pride will be the death of you," Izuna huffed. He ignored his brother's sharp look and continued, "Plus, don't you think that Hashirama _finally _has a _right _to know?"

Hashirama's heart skipped a beat at the mention of his name while Madara made a sour face and seemed to be struggling with himself.

The sun god's chest grew tight at the expression. "Madara," the other man looked up at him. "It's only us four here. But if it is something you don't want to talk about you don't have to." He added a gentle grin at the end of his statement.

He would be lying though if he didn't say his curiosity wasn't piqued. What wasn't Madara telling him and what did it have to do with Obito?

He was pulled back from his ponderings when he heard a deep sigh. Looking across the table, Madara had slumped into his chair with a small frown. But his visible eye was sharp, assessing Hashirama. It made goosebumps rise on the sun god's flesh.

But Hashirama kept himself open and relaxed, and continued to smile pleasantly.

Next to Madara, Minato continued to hold his partner's hand with an encouraging smile. Izuna just looked bored with all the proceedings.

Finally, Madara just sighed. He closed his eyes and his face was very tired. "Fine," he murmured. When he opened his eyes, he stared pointedly at Hashirama. "But just to clarify, all this happened when we were younger."

The sun god nodded but his smile turned a little questioning, wondering what the other meant.

Madara's mouth twisted in a grimace. "When we first were 'born,' the goddess of time and space, Kamui, came to my Court with a small child. It was Obito. She tasked me with raising him and then I was to introduce you two when he was of an older age."

This made Hashirama frown. "Then why didn't you?"

Madara sent the sun god a sharp glare. "I am getting to that!" Then his expression became a bit pained and he shifted his seat. He didn't speak though, and, finally, Izuna just snorted at his brother.

"Jealousy," the god of secrets and truths finally spoke, before he took a bite of his meal.

Hashirama tilted his head to the side with a raised eyebrow. "Huh?" Hashirama turned to look at Izuna while Madara sent his younger brother a glare.

Izuna developed one of his infamous, knowing smirks. "You know Madara was in love with you when we were younger," he stated in a matter of fact tone as he waved his fork. "Even thought of being Tied to you at one point."

Madara growled. "Izuna..."

The other god merely just shrugged before he took another bite of his meal.

Hashirama's eyes went between the two men with his bottom lip in between his teeth. Madara being in love with him was no secret; he was once in love with the moon god too. They had even been each other's consorts for a number of years before they parted ways amicably. But he _certainly _didn't know Madara's feeling had been _that _deep.

"_So," _Izuna went on, drawing the sun god's attention, "of course he wouldn't want to introduce you to your Betrothed."

Hashirama inhaled sharply. "My _what!?" _His voice was high and tight, coming out choked.

Everyone at the table looked at him, Minato's clearly more surprised than the other two.

"Don't tell me you _forgot!" _Madara looked torn between laughing at him or being annoyed. "Kamui told me she was going to tell you!"

Hashirama felt his face grow warm as he desperately scrambled through his memories. But, frustratingly, nothing was coming up. "I... I..."

"Hashirama." The sun god snapped his gaze at Minato. The lightning deity smiled soothingly. "Please, take a deep breath. I am sure you will remember. Anyone would be likely to forget something like that if they hadn't met before."

Out of the corner of his eye, Hashirama saw Madara stiffen, his face turned stricken. He made to break their hands but Minato held fast, even going so far as to give it a little squeeze. The moon god looked at his consort and, although Minato continued to gaze at Hashirama, he slowly began to relax.

The sun god would have laughed at his friend but found his mind and body were too wound up to do so. Instead, he focused on what Minato had suggested.

He closed his eyes before taking in a deep breath. One the slow, exhale he fell back into his seat. He took a few more deep breaths until his mind was clear again and he was easily able to go back into his memories.

It took a moment but he did finally find it. A memory so old he _had _forgotten it.

_Hashirama stood in his newly minted realm and palace. Being just "born," he already knew who he was and what his role was to be. The sun god; the light from him would help give birth to living things, to everything that revolved around his orbit. Even now, in his realm, he could feel his siblings and others coming forth, and he silently pledged to give them all they needed to survive. For he was the god of everything and nothing, only a small part in the grand scheme of creation. A helpful tool to bring everything into birth. _

_Distantly, somewhere off that was not apart of his realm, he could feel another realm- one that was his counterpart's, the moon gods. Together they would bring everything into fruition. All in accordance with the creation god's, Tenji__**, **__plan. _

_He thought that was all and the Infinite Deities would leave them be. So it was rather daunting when one of them appeared before him and just dropped heavy news on his head. _

"'_Betrothed?'" His voice was small, questioning. _

_Kamui smiled at him softly with a motherly warmth in her pale eyes. "Yes," she nodded, "it means that at some time in the future you and my son will become Life Partners."_

"'_Life Partners?'" He probably sounded like an idiot with repeating everything. _

_But just because he knew what his purpose was, didn't mean he knew how to govern like a god- a ruler- yet. He did not have rules that were in place for his realm. And this was not something he instinctively knew. He could only assume that this was something only the Infinite Ones practiced. _

_But Kamui was patient as she explained, "Your Life Partner is another deity that you will Tie your Essence to." _

_A shiver ran down Hashirama's spine as he looked at the ground, a heavy feeling in his gut. Essence was a god's __**life source, **__their very being that could be manipulated through their will. Tying it to something, let alone __**someone, **__was a permanent action. That was... a lot for someone they hadn't even __**met **__yet._

_There was a gentle touch on his shoulder that made him jump. When he looked back up, Kamui towered over him with a comforting and understanding smile. "Don't fear," she said with a squeeze of his shoulder. "I would not be giving my precious son to you unless I was sure that you two were meant for each other." _

_Hashirama's hands tightened into the fabric on his chest of his cropped garment. So many questions were going through his mind. But there were two that stood out. "What's his name? What does he look like?"_

_Kamui's smile turned a little sad. "His name is Obito. And you'll know what he looks like when you see him. I'm afraid I can't tell you more than that even though I wish I could."_

_Hashirama opened his mouth to ask what she meant, but then he blinked and suddenly she was gone. _

"-rama? Hashirama?"

The sun god blinked slowly as he came back to the present. When he looked around, Minato was by his chair with a hand on his bare shoulder and wore a worried expression. Where he touched made Hashirama's skin feel tingly. Madara stood across from the table with a deep frown while his brother still sat and observed.

Hashirama took a shaky breath as he sat up in his seat. "Forgive me. I just... got lost in my memories."

Madara's eyes narrowed while Minato pulled away. "You remembered?"

Hashirama nodded. He then looked down at the table, a hand coming up to cover his mouth. "Kamu visited me when we were first 'born' but it was only to tell me I was Betrothed to her son, Obito. Beyond that, she disappeared before she could say anything else."

"Well, _that _is certainly odd." The sun god looked up at Izuna. The god wore a deep frown. "Especially when she was in the Moon Court for awhile when Obito was first placed in Madara's care."

"She was?" Hashirama turned to Madara, who nodded in confirmation.

"She wanted to make sure her only son was going to be happy and taken care of." He and Minato sat down again.

Hashirama grew quiet again as he looked back down at the table, biting his bottom lip. He and the star god were Betrothed... Knowing _why _he and Obito never met didn't make any of the information any easier to process. Suddenly, a thought made his breath hitch.

"Does Obito know I am Betrothed to him?" he asked, snapping his gaze up at Madara. "Is that why he has been avoiding me?"

"I highly doubt it," Madara stated with a shake of his head.

"Why?"

"Because I never _told _him."

All eyes were once again focused on the moon god. Madara, for his part, just shifted in his seat and refused to meet anyone's gaze as he explained, "I was... meant to. Kamui told me that Obito _once _knew but after our 'birth' he didn't remember.

"But as Izuna _revealed," _he sneered, "because I was once in love with you, I never did."

He barely glanced at Hashirama before he looked away again. "And even after our separation, I had kept the secret for _so long _I never felt the need to tell either of you."

Hashirama slumped back in his seat again. Even though he was stunned with the revelation, he brought up a hand to run his chin and cheek. "Then why is Obito still avoiding me?"

Only silence answered and he didn't expect anyone to know until, "You know, don't you?"

Hashirama looked at Minato who eyed Izuna suspiciously. The other god merely stuck out his tongue and winked. "I do." He then turned to the sun god. "But I think it should be something Obito should reveal to you."

"_But first," _Minato interjected, "I think Obito needs to be told that he is Betrothed to you. He has a right to know."

Hashirama nodded in agreement. The question was _how _when the other man just seemed to be avoiding him.

As if reading his thoughts, Madara firmly asserted, "I'll do it."

Everyone looked at him again.

"It is my duty." He raised his head higher. "Even if it is a long time from when I should have, it is still my duty."

Hashirama smiled as he nodded. Izuna just looked exasperated while he rolled his eyes. Minato smiled too and even leaned over to kiss his partner's cheek.

At that, Hashirama laughed as Madara turned red and sputtered.

Once their meal was finished and Hashirama escorted the trio out, Madara turned to him. "Wait for a day," he stated. "I will have time then to tell Obito."

Hashirama just beamed and nodded. "Thank you."

The moon god huffed. "Thank me when you're finally together. I should have done this a _long _time ago." With that, he and the others walked away.

Even though a nervous feeling formed in his stomach, Hashirama just chuckled as he shook his head and turned to go back into the Sun Palace.

Hashirama waited as Madara had asked. Since the moon god had not said if he would send a messenger or not to fetch him, Hashirama decided to go by himself. Luckily, when he first arrived in the Moon Realm, he found someone who took him to the palace.

Upon his arrival, a surprised attendant had taken him to where Madara and Minato. The private residence was only for certain people, so the attendant had given directions to where the moon and lightning gods would be before they took their leave.

Now walking down the well-lit corridor, Hashirama's stomach was in knots. Each step brought his nerves closer and closer to the edge as his mind raced. He wondered how Obito reacted to the news? Would he still not want to meet the sun deity? And how was that tied to the secret on why the star god was avoiding him in the first place?

These questions plagued his mind and conjured up all sorts of scenarios.

He was jarred from his thoughts when there was a sudden loud bang that resounded in the hall. He froze and looked to see the wooden double doors at the end of the hall were now wide open. But that was only a brief notation before all his focus was on the person rushing toward him.

Obito's face was blotchy red while the star-like twinkle in his hair was dim to almost where Hashirama could not see them. His eyes were shut tightly, eyebrows furrowed, and his jaw and mouth were rigid. But the most concerning sight was the sparkling star-shine trails of tears that flowed from the corner of his eyes.

When the star god opened his eyes to see Hashirama, he abruptly stopped. His body became tenser and his face a darker shade of red. What left the sun god truly reeling though was when the tears poured harder and his star-filled eyes were clouded with a deeper _pain_ than before.

A choked sob wretched from Obito's mouth as he turned and fled into another direction.

It only took a second for Hashirama to follow, an arm outstretched. "W-wait! Obito!"

But the other didn't stop. He didn't go back towards the doors he had just come through but turned in a small hallway that was nearby. Hashirama gave chase and yet when he rounded the corner it was completely empty.

He froze at the halls entrance, and as his arm fell limply to his side, Hashirama stared dumbfounded and unsure of what he just witnessed. It made his lips press tightly together.

"Hashirama!"

The sun god turned and saw Minato at the entrance of the doors. His bright blond hair and brilliant yellow robes stood out starkly against the darkness, also highlighting the small sparks that were coming off him. He wasn't even the least bit winded as he swiftly approached the sun god.

"Hashirama, have you seen Obito?" he demanded, his blue eyes sharp. "I made a mistake and went to the wrong area I thought he would have gone. Now I can't find him."

Hashirama swallowed past the lump in his throat. "I- I did." he waved uselessly toward the hallway. "But he just... disappeared."

At the news, Minato's whole body drooped as he sighed heavily and hung his head. "I was afraid he was going to do that..."

When he lifted his head, his face was utterly defeated.

"What happened?" Hashirama asked, the knots in his stomach returning with a vengeance.

"I don't know." Minato shook his head. "Madara took Obito aside for some privacy to tell him you and he were Betrothed. Next thing I know, I heard a crash, Obito stormed out, and Madara was on the floor. I didn't have time to ask what happened when Madara told me to go after Obito."

Hashirama bit his bottom lip. His heart squeezed in his chest. "I suppose the only way to know is to ask Madara."

Minato nodded and held out his hand.

The moment the sun god's hand was firmly in the other's, a shock of electricity went through Hashirama and they were suddenly in a new area.

Hashirama had experienced similar teleportation before, but it was still disorientating. Yet with a quick shake of his head, he managed to right himself.

Noticing the thin layer of soot on his long sleeves and pants, he quickly dusted himself off. When he finished, he chuckled good-naturedly with a shake of his head at Minato's apologetic smile.

The lightning god then led him out of the garden patio area he had sent them to and into a living room area.

Inside, Madara was kneeling at a low table with his eyes closed while his fingers massaged his forehead tiredly. His robes looked rumbled but what stood out the most was the dark bruise that was on his right cheek.

Hashirama winced in sympathy and Minato rushed to his partner's side.

Madara opened his eyes and they were penetrating as they looked over everyone. He turned to his consort. "Were you not able to catch Obito?" he asked as the lightning god knelt next to him.

The blond haired man shook his head while he reached out and carefully brushed the moon god's cheek. "No. Hashirama told me he disappeared just before I could."

"Tsk." Madara didn't swat his consort's hand away but gripped his wrist firmly and lowered it. "Leave it. It's fine."

Minato looked skeptical but Madara gave his wrist a squeeze and continued to hold it when he turned to Hashirama.

"Did he say anything?"

Hashirama bit his bottom lip and shook his head. "He was... very distressed." And that was putting it mildly.

Madara sighed heavily.

"What happened?" Hashirama inquired as he moved to sit across from him.

"I told Obito you and he were Betrothed." He pinched the bridge of his nose with his unoccupied hand. "At first, he didn't say anything. I assumed from the shock of it." He looked up at Hashirama, mouth twisting.

"I... _apologized _for not saying anything for so long, and said that you seemed willing to agree with being Betrothed to him.

"He continued to remain quiet," a corner of his mouth tilted downward, "perhaps that should have been my first warning sign- given him.

"When he started to shake, I reach out to grab his shoulder. I wasn't prepared when he smacked my hand away and punched me in the face before he ran out."

Hashirama's heart plummeted to his stomach. While he didn't necessarily like the idea either, Obito's reaction could only lead him to one conclusion: the star god _hated _him now.

His throat grew tight as he thought about their first meeting. He had an aversion to being touched and was shy, but there was no full indication of dislike from the other- he even _smiled _at him. It was such a juxtaposition to what he had seen moments before.

But the more he thought about it, he frowned. It wasn't a look of disgust- more like devastation. Surely if the other hated him now, there would be more anger, right?

It left a continuous loop on questions as he analyzed everything but with no answers. It started to make his head throb.

"He didn't say a word?" He heard Minato ask. He looked toward the two across from him, their hands now intertwined.

The lightning deity's face was a mix of graveness and worriment, leaning into his consort's personal space. "Nothing at all?"

Madara shook his head and, whether he realized it or not, leaned more towards the other. "Not a single word."

Hashirama's felt a sharp pain his chest at remembering again how Obito looked in the hall. Because even if he didn't speak his mind, that face spoke volumes, even if he didn't understand it all.

He and the star god needed to talk about this. In the end, they were still Betrothed.

Hashirama licked his lips before he asked, "Could- could you send for a formal summons?"

Madara snorted. "No. He probably wouldn't come if I did." He leveled the sun god with a tired look. "He most likely didn't disappear somewhere else in my realm. Probably went to go hide in his, and you no one can go there."

Hashirama grimaced. He knew the rules of the other realm. Though Eternal deities lived in the Sun and Moon Realms, there was a third one that only they could go to, the Star Realm. And, even then, many Eternal Ones were reluctant to visit.

Madara sighed, drawing Hashirama's attention again. "We just have to wait until he appears again. And before you ask, no. I have no idea how long that will be."

Hashirama closed his eyes and bowed his head. Those weren't the words he wanted to hear. But, really, was there any other choice?

He raised his head and saw both other men eying him. Hashirama attempted a poor smile and nodded.

After, he didn't bother to stay when they asked. His heart was too heavy for him to be a proper company and he felt the need to be alone.

When he returned to his realm and to his personal bedroom, he took to sitting on the window seat that opened to his private garden. But rather than finding solace in his flowers, he looked up to the clear blue sky. Even though he couldn't see the stars, he knew they were there- just like they were in the Moon Realm. The Star Realm so far away but still visible in the dark sky. Just like the god that created them.

As he continued to stare, as if he could actually see the sparkle of those stars, he wondered if he would ever be able to see Obito again. He had so many questions that only the god could answer.

But would Hashirama ever get a chance to ask? Or would Obito just stay away permanently?

A sick feeling formed in the pit of his stomach as he was unsure of what he feared more.


	3. Chapter 3

The next few days were _torturous _for Hashirama.

There had been no sign of the star god and it ate at the sun deity's stomach. The worst was that the world still went on and, besides a comment about how the stars didn't seem to be shining so brightly in the Moon Realm, no one seemed to care.

But it wasn't like Hashirama had made a huge fuss over it. He kept the matter as quiet as possible. Save for his siblings might having an idea, no one else was none the wiser.

Hashirama laid on the ground of his private garden, twirling a blade of grass as he looked up at the partly cloudy sky. He wasn't really seeing anything, just lost in his thoughts on the current situation.

It wasn't complicated. They were Betrothed in accordance to what an Infinite One decreed. But Tying his Essence someone he _didn't know _didn't feel right. Did he have a choice in the matter?

And what of Obito? What were his feelings on the matter? Clearly, he was upset but was at the situation or at Hashirama?

Did he really hate him so much?

Hashirama closed his eyes and sighed heavily while his stomach churned at the thought. He only hoped Obito would return soon so that they may talk about this.

"Brother."

The sun god snapped his eyes open and look to see Itama standing stiffly not far away. Rather than his usual pleasant smile, the god of fire's mouth was pressed firmly together.

"Is something wrong, Itama?" Hashirama asked as he stood up.

His youngest brother shifted on his feet. "You have an unexpected guest waiting for you in the throne room."

Hashirama tilted his head to the side but a heavy feeling form in the bottom of his stomach. "Someone I know?"

Itama grimaced. "I think? She mentioned she had spoken to you once before. She's one of the Infinite Ones- Kamui."

The heavy feeling turned nauseous at the name. Hashirama pushed through it by swallowing. He nodded before they both hurriedly traveled to the throne room.

The halls were unexpected quiet for the time and Hashirama came to know why when he saw many gathered around the open throne room doors. Upon seeing him and Itama, they all parted without a word but with questioning gazes toward the sun god.

For his part, Hashirama held his head high as he entered, bare feet padding against soft grass. His throne room was more akin to that of an open forest with tall and stylized trees interwoven together to make arches and pillars around the 'room' while the sun blazed down through the large open spaces. Along the outskirts, the usual spacious areas were packed with all sorts of persons that whispered quietly to each other. No one dared enter further, where five people stood.

The rest of his siblings and Yamato were gathered around one person. Dressed in gold and blue, Kamui towered over them all. Her features were guileless in her pleasure toward everyone as they spoke softly to her. But when her pale eyes looked up, they hardened a little at Hashirama.

There was the sensation of pin-pricks at the base of his neck, yet he smiled on his approach. Kamui excused herself from the group and moved to meet him halfway. For some with such a muscular and curvaceous, she glided over the grass floor like she wasn't even touching it.

"Kamui," he greeted with a slight bow. When he looked up at her, her smile was warm but her eyes lacked the same. Hashirama bit his lip.

She nodded her head back. "Hashirama." Her voice gave away nothing which only left the sun god more on edge.

"I heard you wished to have an audience with me. Please forgive my delay." He tried to keep his smile in place as his heart thumped wildly. "What can I do for you?"

A hush fell over their audience; so quiet it was like none of them were breathing. Kamui's eyes traveled around the room, the silver thread and gold beads that threaded through and between her antlers catching in the sunlight as she did so. They beautifully shined a little in the sun god's eyes but not enough to actually be blinding and annoying.

When she looked back at him, it eased Hashirama's nerves that there was now a bit of brightness in her pale orbs.

"Not here," she announced loudly.

Hashirama almost laughed when a murmur of discontent went through the crowd. But he was more caught up in his own racing mind.

When Kamui leaned forward, he wasn't ashamed when he jumped and stiffened a little at the movement. He heard a soft giggle while she completed invading his personal space for her mouth next to his ear. He was only slightly annoyed by her thick, wavy hair when it covered some of the right half of his face.

"Meet me at the Crossroads," she whispered. "There we can talk. Come by yourself."

Hashirama hoped to see her face to gauge an expression. But as Kamui pulled away, she disappeared before he could.

The sun god found himself sighing in relief as his muscles relaxed. That was only a small comfort however, the goddess still wished to speak to him.

A goddess who was Obito's _mother. _

He only could wonder why she came. He hadn't done anything personally to Obito. Even if he was the cause of the star god's current state- whatever that was.

He was pulled from his thoughts when his family gathered around him.

"Is everything alright?" Kawarama immediately asked, jumping straight to the point.

Hashirama attempted to smile broadly but only managed a little one. "It's fine," he tried to assure verbally. "Kamui just wishes to," he gulped because even he wasn't so sure, "talk to me privately."

Tobirama's eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms. "Does this have to do with why you have been out of sorts these past few days?"

Hashirama tried not to flinch but a corner of his mouth twitched.

Touka hummed while one corner of her mouth tilted upward. "I suppose we can take that as a yes?"

Hashirama rubbed the back of his neck when it began to prickle again. When he saw four pairs of eyes lit up, he knew he had to make his escape before they dragged him away and questioned him.

He hastily made his excuses before he dashed off and raced through the palace.

Careful to not be followed, he managed to make it to where the entrance of the Crossroads without further incident.

Stepping away from the Travel Crystal Pavilion, his eyes traveled up the well-worn steps of the stairs that led to the highest point of his realm. The top was blocked from view by the clouds. But on a normal day- when one reached the top of the stairs- you could see both the Moon and Sun Realms in all their glory.

He wasted no more time and began his trek. Although he knew it could have been easier to climb with the help of his Essence, there was an unspoken rule that- unless an Infinite One- no powers were to be used to reach its peak. It acted as a pilgrimage of sorts when the two realms would come together twice a year.

But all it served now was a prolonging of something important. Left alone with his thoughts, it gave him time to imagine what sort of 'talk' Kamui wanted. It wasn't the worst case but still enough to develop a solid feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Each step he took grew heavier and heavier that had nothing to do with the climb. In fact, every part of him felt like that. From the headache that was beginning to form to his pounding heart. All in knowing what awaited him at the end.

But at no point did he want to turn and flee- to hide away from the Infinite Goddess and never speak of this again. Because on his way here, an epiphany occurred to him.

For all that he wondered what might happen, Kamui also could provide him with some answers. Namely, why she decided he and Obito were Betrothed and what the other god could be doing right now.

So while his mind continued to race and his body protested, he pressed on.

Coming to the landing where the stairs to the Moon and Sun Realms met, his body perked up at seeing a familiar person coming up the steps from the Moon Realm. When Madara noticed him too, the other man paused before he continued towards Hashirama.

Both of them met in the center of the landing, but there were no jovial greetings. There was a grimness in Madara's face that Hashirama knew he probably couldn't lift with a usual joke or quip.

Still, it made his heart tighten and he reached out to grip the moon god's shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze. He tried to smile but knew he failed when Madara shook his head.

"Don't try to appease me," Madara spoke as he shrugged off Hashirama's hand. "I know what I have done and it is time I face the consequences of my actions."

This did make the sun god grin crookedly. "You make it sound like she is going to kill you."

Madara lifted a pointed eyebrow. "It would be within her right."

Hashirama swallowed with his grin falling away and he tried not to think about it.

Both of them turned their heads to look at the rest of the stairs that lead to the Crossroads. The clouds hiding the top from view made it more ominous.

"You ready?" the sun god asked as he looked back at his friend.

Madara huffed. "Don't ask a ridiculous question," he moved forward. "I wouldn't be here if I wasn't."

The response made Hashirama chuckle with a shake of his head. He then followed.

Their walk was quiet. Neither of them gave a sign that the lack of visibility or moisture bothered them. Though that might have been because of Hashirama acting as a soft source of light from his brighter glow and evaporating a small area around them.

When the clouds finally gave way, it was perfectly clear. Standing at the top of the steps, they could see the land and mountainscape that surrounded nothing but water. The large body of water that encompassed the entirety of the flat plateau was perfectly still and dark.

The lake was built to always reflect the three realms of Sun, Moon, and Star no matter the weather. It mixed the realms to make it look like it was always evening or sunrise the peaks of the sun and moon on either side. Above, the stars would always be seen and shining between the two other realms.

As they descended down the stairs, Hashirama looked up to the Star Realm, now so much closer. It was still too far away to see any details but it felt like he could still reach out and touch one of them. His heart ached in wondering what Obito was doing up there now.

When they reached the bottom, both of them stopped to see a figure kneeling, not far from shore, on the lake. Although still too far away, Kamui's distinctive clothing and pale skin stood out against the mostly black area.

Hashirama's stomach twisted as they proceeded forward. But there was no sign of aggression yet, so he took it as a good omen.

When they got closer, more features began to emerge. She faced them, head tilted to the side, and face completely calm with a soft smile. The beads that served as her 'crown' were now cradled in one hand while the other twirled one of the beads gently. Her eyes were half-lidded but distant while she admired the threaded beads.

Both him and Madara stopped a few feet away from her. Hashirama found his throat to be tight so demurred to speak. Madara must have had the same idea as he didn't begin to talk either.

They stood for a second or two longer. Then Kamui sighed and closed her eyes while she dropped the bead in her hand and then covered the beads. Hashirama couldn't stop himself when he tensed involuntarily.

"Please, sit," she gently commanded.

Hashirama and Madara glanced at each other before slowly drawing themselves down onto the water. The moon god knelt formally while the sun god sat in the lotus position.

There was another bout of silence before Kamui asked, "Tell me, what do you both know about Time?"

Hashirama's eyebrows furrowed together and when he glanced at Madara, the man wore an equally questioning expression.

When he looked back at Kamui, she had not opened her eyes and gave any further explanation.

"We are...," the moon god spoke, "aware of the principles of it. But not what it fully means or entrails."

Kamui hummed and opened her eyes to look at the two of them. Her gaze was hard and penetrating but not threatening.

"Then you are aware of the Limitless Timelines. How every situation and action taken can lead to a path Time has made, or create a whole new one?"

"In theory," Hashirama agreed. "But Mito could only reveal so much before it became confusing."

Kamui hummed again but with a smile. "Yes, the goddess of destiny and I do share a lot in our powers. But there are many ways we are different.

"She sees what would happen if one were to continue on their current path. The things that are guaranteed to happen in one to four timelines. But I see all the possibilities." Her smile died slowly.

"So you can see why I can be uneasy to trust- especially when it comes to my son."

Out of the corner of his eye, the sun god saw Madara stiffen. Kamui must have seen it too as she turned to look at him fully. "You have raised my son well," she complimented, "even helped him regain a little of his memories from before your pantheon was 'born.'" Her eyes drooped with a soft sigh. "But it still hurts that you did not do as I had asked. That you took the paths you chose and betrayed my son's trust the way you have."

"I did tell him," Madara defended, a little bit of edginess to his voice as he spoke calmly. "It just so happened to be years later than I should have."

Kamui nodded. "But I don't think you understand why your actions- or inaction- has hurt Obito so. He doesn't reveal it to you, but he does admire and respect you. So for you to withhold something _so important _not just from him," her eyes glanced over at Hashirama, "but the sun deity as well, it has left Obito feeling very confused on certain matters and angry."

"If I can say something," Hashirama interjected when he noticed Madara's mouth twist into a frown. Kamui looked to him and he went on, "Surely after so many years, you could have also told Obito yourself?" He hoped he hadn't come off as accusatory in his question.

Kamui nodded, and it eased his twisted insides. "You're very right. But as I said, everything has its own path. Madara could have told my son and Obito just decided not to speak with me on the matter. Or Madara hadn't and Obito was still ignorant, my asking about you could have set off another path that would end differently. I chose to respect my son's decision- if it was the former- by not saying anything.

"And I could have checked in both realms as well. But outside the Star Realm, I am only given an intermediate passage before I must go on. It is in my nature to always be on the move and everything is expansive and borderless in the Star Realm. I sometimes might not see my son as regularly as I did when he traveled with me." She paused, eyes growing distant with a flash of pain.

"The only reason I came to know of the situation here is that I noticed stars were being destroyed or going out permanently. My son may have a bit of a temper but he had seldom ever sabotaged his own creations unless clearly distressed."

Hashirama felt his heart squeeze and he curled his hands into fists. To know Obito was that anguished made him ache in want to comfort the other god.

It also made him see that there was something deeper going on with the star god than just being upset about being Betrothed.

He was pulled from his thoughts when Madara said, "Obito is acting like a child then. Surely, his feelings aren't so soft that he would react in such a way."

Hashirama quickly glanced at Madara with his breath catching. The moon god wore a tight frown and his arms were crossed over his chest but his eyebrows were furrowed together with reserved eyes.

When Hashirama turned toward Kamui, her eyes were hard but sorrowful and understanding. "Surely," she reasoned softly, "you would feel the same if Minato betrayed you as such."

The moon god stared at Kamui for a moment before he slowly bowed his head to use his bangs to cover his face. Hashirama knew the message had come across when Madara's shoulders and arms eased down until his hands laid limply in his lap.

Kamui must have understood too because she nodded. She then sighed. "I am in no way saying this is all at your feet Madara." Both gods looked toward her and she smiled bitterly. "Our inaction lies between the both of us. It is a good lesson to take away."

Madara nodded stiffly but Hashirama frowned.

The sun god pointed to himself. "Then what did you need to speak to me about?"

Kamui's smile turned into a mix of humorous and sheepish. "I thought since the situation heavily involved you, you should at least be aware of the talk. But I also knew you might have questions."

Hashirama shifted, his heart picking up pace a little. He licked his lips. "I know Obito is upset...," he began, "but I also would like to talk to him. Do you know when he will come back from his realm?"

The goddess shook her head. "I don't. He will come back when he is ready." At seeing Hashirama hang his head with a sigh, she added, "I can at least tell you it won't be too long."

Hashirama pressed his lips together. That didn't give him much comfort considering _her _amount of time could be different than his. But he pushed it aside and figured that is all he would get. He opened his mouth to speak again. Only when he did, Kamui raised a hand.

He paused and watched as she closed her eyes. It was quiet and the sun god took the moment to look at his friend who appeared as baffled as he was.

"I'm sorry," Kamui spoke as she opened her eyes, "but I'm afraid I have to go."

Hashirama's heart jumped to his throat while Kamui calmly but swiftly wove the beads through her antlers again. When she gracefully stood up, Hashirama lurched up to follow and made to speak but Kamui beat him to it.

"But I can answer whatever other question you may have." She offered a small smile that didn't reach her eyes. "But only one."

Hashirama swallowed past the lump in his throat as he nodded. There was no other question for him to ask but one.

"Why did you Betroth Obito and I?"

Kamui's smiled turned warm as she closed the gap between them. In his half kneeling, half-standing position, she reached out and touched the side of his face.

Hashirama stared directly into her eyes and was encompassed by her gaze that eased the tightness in his chest. Her smile was delicate but strong and her eyes were bright and clear that made him warm and protected.

"I didn't choose you," she stated, "you two chose each other. Because in every timeline I saw for you or my son, you both were together and always made each other inexplicably happy."

And then Hashirama blinked and Kamui was gone.

The air left out of the sun god and he slumped to his knees. He blinked again, almost forcibly willing for the goddess to return. But she didn't and it left him to stare out at the Crossroads.

He sighed and looked to the Star Realm. The distant stars twinkled back at him as if to mock him for not being able to see or go there.

His chest grew heavy as Kamui's words rang in his head. Her answer had given him something but also left him _aching _to understand more. Every timeline? Even this one? When he and Obito barely knew each other?

"...We should go."

Hashirama turned to look at his friend as the moon god stood up. The other man then looked down at him with muted eyes.

"You heard what Kamui said, there is nothing for us to do but wait until Obito's return."

Hashirama pressed his lips together briefly before he sighed heavily. "You're right," the sun god agreed dejectedly as he stood up. "But I just _wish _there was something I could do."

Madara huffed. "All the wishing in the world can only do so much. Even if you were a god of wishes." He turned and walked away. "But Obito isn't a coward," he called over his shoulder. "He will return. Don't worry."

Hashirama smiled a little at his friend's words. They were a bit harsh but they eased the heaviness in his chest a little. Madara was a man of his word and he knew Obito probably better than anyone else.

Still, the sun god looked at the Star Realm one last time before he too walked away. Because it was the only thing he could do. The rest was up to Obito to return.

Hashirama silently hoped it would be sooner rather than later.


	4. Chapter 4

To a god, time had no meaning. Yet when days turned into weeks, Hashirama's hopeful mood wanned. Talking with Kamui had eased the uneasy ache in his chest but as the days went on, it returned tenfold. Barring his normal duties, he often found himself staring at the sky in his realm and frequenting the other to look at the stars there. Sometimes he even went as far as to visit the Crossroads.

His anxiousness was no longer noticed just by his siblings. Many often asked if he was alright, most commenting on how the bright glow that usually surrounded him was dim. Others notices bags under his eyes and how unnaturally quiet he was these days.

He couldn't blame them for their worry and he did his best to ease their fears, but still kept what was bothering him to himself.

The only people he couldn't escape from were his siblings. And after much poking and probing, he finally confessed to all of them what was going on. Despite the situation, he laughed at their dumbstruck faces when he told them all. But then he became serious as they questioned him more about it. Tragically at the end of the questions, followed by a discussion on what to do, they all agreed that Hashirama had to wait for Obito's return.

Today found the sun god in his study, going over some documents. Normally he would avoid paperwork but it kept his mind busy so he didn't focus on... other matters.

He was just going over Yamato's report on the conditions of the humans when there was a knock on his door. "Come in!" he called as he turned to see who it was.

The door opened to reveal Tobirama as he stepped inside the room. "Apologize for disturbing you," the god of the water greeted as he closed the door firmly behind him. "But you have an unexpected guest."

The sun god eyed his brother as his heart jumped to his throat. "Someone I know?"

Tobirama pressed his lips together briefly. Then he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "It's Obito," he announced when he opened his eyes, "the star god."

Hashirama jumped out of his seat so fast he knocked over his chair. "He's here?" he rushed out while he approached his brother. Then he stopped and stiffened. "Itama and Touka don't know, do they?"

Tobirama shook his head. "Kawarama and I just so happened to run into him. I came to find you while he took Obito to the pavilion in the furthest area of the East Garden. The one at the very edge."

The news made Hashirama sigh in relief. Many wouldn't think that Itama and Touka would be vindictive out of all of his siblings, but his younger brother and sister could be menaces if someone they cared for was harmed in any way. They had both remained calm when the sun god had conveyed his confession but he saw the inferno and tornado, respectively, in their eyes. Who knew what would happen if either of them ran into Obito.

Hashirama finished crossing the gap between the two of them and laid a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Thank you," he appreciated with a squeeze. "Do you think you could keep them away from the East Garden?"

A corner of Tobirama's mouth tilted upward slightly, so minuscule one could miss it. "Won't be an issue," he chuckled. "Kawarama and I will take care of it."

Hashirama grinned and nodded. Then with a laugh of thanks, he ran out of the room.

During the quiet journey, there were a few times he had to stop jogging just to slow his wild thoughts before he took a deep breath and moved on again. He only truly slowed down when he grew closer to his destination, panting lightly and nerves frayed.

When he turned the corner to the pavilion, he froze and his breath caught. Obito's dark figure made a striking pose amongst the garden flowers and sunlight. His back was towards Hashirama as he looked over the railing. The wind rustled the star god's hair and clothes but, without seeing his face, Hashirama couldn't fathom what the other was thinking.

Hashirama swallowed before he slowly closed the distance between them. He trained his eyes fully on Obito- willed him to turn around since his throat now felt too tight to call out in his usual cheerful greeting. And almost as if he heard, Obito turned.

Their eyes met and Hashirama almost hesitated to come further. Obito's face was blank, the sparkles in his hair not blinking rapidly. But the sun god pushed past his cramping stomach and stepped onto the pavilion. He did his best to smile and managed, "Hello."

Obito averted his eyes to the side and shifted on his feet. "Hello," he murmured quietly.

The sun god swallowed again. "It's... good to see you again."

There was a huff and Obito shook his head. "Considering how we met last time," he stated sarcastically, "that's a shocker."

"But I was really worried!" Hashriama reached out and snagged the other's hand. When Obito tried to pull away, the sun god held firm until Obito looked at him.

"I was so worried about you!" Hashirama repeated while he implored with a squeeze of their hands. "You were so upset and then Madara-" Obito made a face with a deadly glint in his eyes but Hashirama went on, "said it was because..." Hashirama licked his dry lips. "Because-"

"We're _Betrothed," _Obito hissed. The twinkles in his hair were starting to twinkle rapidly as his eyes darkened.

He violently tore his hand away from Hashirama's and took a step back. "And isn't that a _fucking _mess," he spat.

Hashirama's heart squeezed but his tongue seemed too heavy for him to move and he remained silent.

Obito closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The intensity of the sparkles in his hair lessened and only then did he open his eyes again. He lifted his head high. "I'm sorry," he stated abruptly.

Hashirama felt a wave of confusion rise in him and he tilted his head to the side.

Obito crossed his arms over his chest. His cheeks reddened while he grimaced. "For my behavior these past few weeks... and for _this." _He waved a hand between the two of them.

Hashirama let out a slow breath while his hands closed into fists. "You don't have anything to apologize for," he argued. "It's understandable."

The star god let out a sharp laugh. "Try telling that to my Aunt and Uncle." Hashirama suppressed a shiver unable to imagine dealing with the other two of the Infinite Trio. "And then my Mother's _enthusiasm...!" _

Obito sighed. And then he looked tiredly up at Hashirama. "So, I'm sorry for all of it."

Hashirama opened his mouth to reassure that it was fine but then the star god went on. "And you don't want _any _of it." He cast his eyes down, brows pinched together, and his folded arms tightened. "It was just thrown at you just as you were born..."

"I admit I was surprised," Hashirama interjected before Obito could continue. "But... who said I don't want this?"

The star god's gaze snapped to him, sparkles in his hair going a little rapid as his face reddened. There was something that Hashirama couldn't quite decipher in the depths of the other's eyes- something small and bright. "Do you?"

Hashirama bit his bottom. "Well, I..." His thoughts were jumbled as he tried to find the right words to explain his feelings.

But with his hesitation, the spark in Obito's eyes shattered and his face dropped. "Is it because my mother ordained it, isn't it?"

The sun god pressed his lips together. He didn't want to _lie _that it was a small factor but, after he thought of it these past few weeks, there was much more to it and he just wasn't sure how to make Obito understand that. All the words Hashirama had planned to say were now making no sense to him and he wasn't sure where to begin.

He stared at the other god to gauge a reaction but Obito had bowed his head. The only sort of an idea of emotion was that the sparkles in the star's deity's hair were dimmed, and that could mean anything.

Hashirama opened his mouth with an apology on the tip of his tongue when Obito stated, "We don't _have _to be Tied." He raised his face, expression blank but eyes hard. "We don't have to be _anything." _

Hashirama's throat tightened. The venom in the other's voice was palatable. Yet, surprisingly, he knew none of it was turned towards him.

Before he could get a word in, Obito went on. "It isn't like we know each other well." He frowned and one hand came up to play with his left earring as his eyes went distant in thought. "So you can still just go back to your life and, I guess, I can stay in the Star Realm. That way my moth-"

"No!"

Heart thundering in his chest, Hashirama drew closer to the star god until the tips of their feet touched. Obito jumped before he snapped his gaze up with wide eyes. The sparkles in his hair intensified as his face went red.

"While yes I was surprised," Hashirama began firmly, "I think it's unfair how you are trying to decide things and not ask for my opinions."

Obito's face scrunched together as he frowned. "I am merely putting out an idea so you don't have to be Tied to me!"

Hashirama shook his head. "Then let's do it together so that we can _both _still live in the realms. Something that we talked about and agreed on. That's fair, right?"

Rather than calming down, Obito bared his teeth in a sneer before he stepped back from Hashirama. "What would be 'fair,'" he snarled which was near shouting, "is if none of this ever happened! That my mother wasn't so hasty! That Madara had told me the truth after all these years! And that I didn't already fucking love you!"

Hashirama's heart stopped as it felt as if he ceased to breathe. "W-what?" he wheezed.

Obito opened his mouth before his face slackened. His face grew impossibly red while the twinkles in his hair went wild. He slapped a hand over his mouth before he turned away with a choked scream.

Hashirama became dazed as he thought about his limited interactions with the star deity. Suddenly, it all made _sense. _

Being avoided, the blushing, why Obito seemed so upset. The other god seemed rather shy so he might want to avoid someone he was interested in - let alone being in love with. And Hashirama would also be distressed if someone he loved would be forced to marry him.

This added a whole new layer to the situation.

The star god moved away to another area of the pavilion, leaving what felt like miles of space between them. Hashirama's heart clenched at seeing it and followed him from a distance, even though it all felt so surreal.

"You... love me?" Hashirama whispered.

He watched Obito's shoulders stiffen. There was a silence that stretched between the two of them but Hashirama waited patiently for a response. Then the other god's shoulders relaxed and he turned his head to peek over his shoulder. Yet rather than the look of fear or excitement, there was resignation and weariness.

It made Hashirama's chest tight.

At first, Obito didn't say anything. Then he turned away and took a deep breath.

He spun around with his head held high. But the confidence in his posture was a juxtaposition when his cheeks turned red and the sparkles in his hair grew bright. "I do," he confessed, his voice shaking slightly.

Even though Hashirama had asked, it still shook him to his heart to hear it again. He swallowed past the lump in his throat and sighed softly.

Before he could speak, however, Obito bowed his head. The shining in his hair dulled and his voice was hollow as he spoke. "So how is it fair to be in a relationship- let alone being Tied- when it is only one-sided."

"That's..." Hashirama raised a hand to but stopped as he thought about what Obito was saying. He lowered his hand as he looked down at the ground with a soft sigh. "...You're right."

He closed his eyes as something steely formed in his chest, something that now gave him a direction to explain to the other god what he felt and wanted. "It isn't fair to you," he agreed. When he lifted his head it was to see Obito looking at him with wide eyes. Hashirama took a moment to stare in them deeply while he closed the gap between them until they were only inches apart.

"But... shouldn't that mean you want to try harder? To want to know how I feel?" Hashirama quietly asked. "When we met the first time it was by chance. Don't you want to get to know me more? How," he licked his lips, "how can you be so sure I won't develop feelings for you?"

The star deity scoffed. "Because of the numerous partners you've had."

For a moment, Hashirama was stopped short. "Ex-excuse me?"

Obito cast his eyes aside and folded his arms over his chest with hunched shoulders. "I used to sneak into Solstices. It's... where I first saw you... Saw how you were with everyone... How everyone flocked to you...

"I wanted to approach but, for one, I had to stay hidden cause Madara forbade me from coming in the first place. But then everyone just _surrounded _you, many who you court or would court, and just couldn't find it in me to come and see you outside of the Solstices.

"And then you started _courting_ Madara. _The one person who is your equal. _And even then- even after you went so far together- you didn't stay with him. Didn't _want _him."

Still not meeting Hashirama's eyes, he motioned to himself. "And in _that _case, what could I offer you?"

Silence filled the space between the two gods. Hashirama continued to star at Obito, mind trying to catch up with what he heard. The star deity, for his part, still refused to look at him.

When the silence went on, Obito finally sighed and his arms fell to his side. He finally raised his face and the dejected look in his eyes stabbed the sun god in the chest.

"I'll see myself out," he suddenly announced and then moved to bypass Hashirama.

Yet when Obito tried to pass, the sun deity snatched the star god's wrist. The act made Obito startle and he snapped his head towards the other.

Hashirama gazed into the other's wide eyes with a soft look. Although the sun god still felt turmoil in himself, he took a deep breath and said softly, "You can't know that unless you try."

Despite the apprehensive look on his face, Obito tilted his head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"Saying you had nothing to offer me if I courted you," Hashirama smiled softly. "You can't say it won't work unless you try it."

It was adorable to see a lovely shade of red cover Obito's entire face. "Wh-what does that mean!?" he stammered as he tried to pull his hand away.

However, Hashirama wasn't having it and held it firmly. "What it means is that I am very interested in getting to know you. And as more than a friend."

The sun god giggled softly when the other deity began to sputter. His cheeks grew warm as he grinned widely at the display. And while he would love to see how far he could tease the other and see more reactions, he needed to finish what he was trying to say.

His smile dropped a little as he went on. "You're right that I have courted many people. But when I parted ways with them it wasn't because I didn't care for them and their feelings. It was because nothing _felt _right when I tried to think of going further with them. Even when Madara and I exchanged Essence Jewelry to be consorts, it never felt right to me."

He closed his eyes and brought Obito's hand up to rest it against his chest. He allowed his energy to encompass the hand to relate how truthful he spoke.

"It's true that I don't know how to feel about being Betrothed to you," he spoke softly while he opened his eyes again to gaze at the other god. Obito's face was very red and the twinkles in his hair were erratic. It made the sun deity grin. "But I do know that letting you go away and disappear would be one of the worst mistakes I would ever make."

Obito's eyes grew wide and his body slacked. Hashirama thought he could feel a slight tremble from the star god's hand but proceeded forward rather than give in to the urge to hug him. "I may not love you now. But if there is one thing I discovered when courting others is that I have learned many things I never thought I would if I hadn't _tried. _

"It can be the same for us too. There could be things you don't know about me unless we get to know each other and I certainly want to know you more.

"So, please, allow us to try together."

By now, Obito was visibly trembling. He looked down to where his hand rested against Hashirama's chest. The sun god took it as a good sign when he didn't pull it away.

Then the star god lifted his gaze to look at Hashirama dead in his eyes. "You're... you're not just saying that...," he whispered softly, "just because of what my mother said, are you?"

Hashirama smiled softly. "No, I'm not just saying these things because of your mother." He giggled. "Ever since I first saw you, I find you're very attractive," he admitted. "I have also missed your presence these past few weeks. And not just because I was worried about you."

By now Obito's face was bright red again with his hair sparkling wildly and he refused to meet Hashirama's gaze. But the sun god could see the beginnings of a smile on the other's face. It made Hashirama's own smile grow more.

Then he used his free hand to raise Obito's face so the two of them could look at each other again and added, "And if there's another thing I have learned in my life is that the future is never set in stone."

Obito blinked at him so Hashirama explained with a chuckle as he let go of Obito's chin. "Did you know your mother visited me?"

The star deity stiffened. "No."

"She did," Hashirama nodded, "and she said that I made you very happy in all the possibilities she saw for you. That we made each other happy.

"And she did get ahead of herself when betrothing us," he laughed, "but making you happy doesn't mean that we end up Tied and Life Partners. Do I make you happy as I court you? Or, if things don't work out between us, do I make you happy as a friend?

"But we will never know unless we give it a try!"

Obito was quiet for a moment, just staring at Hashirama. The sun god didn't mind and continued to smile and hold the other's hand to his chest and feel his energy to know he spoke the truth.

"So...," Obito's voice was quiet and small in a way that made it seem he didn't want to believe this. But the fragile light that was in his eyes before returned that gave his face a beautiful glow. "You _really _want to court me?" At his question, his hair began to sparkle brightly that accented the growing red in his face.

"Yes!" Hashirama laughed while he took Obito's other hand in his. "Very much!"

Another silence filled the air. Butterflies jittered in Hashirama's stomach even though he tried to remain relaxed. Yet he still held the star god's hands tightly and pressed the one against his chest more firmly.

Then Obito licked his lips and curled his fingers into Hashirama's shirt. "Then... if you're sure...," he slowly nodded as he averted his eyes and muttered, "I-I wouldn't mind, I suppose."

It suddenly felt like a weight had been lifted off Hashirama's chest and shoulders as he merrily laughed. Acting on instinct, he pulled the other closer into a tight hug. Only to immediately pull back and sheepishly chuckle when Obito protested with a sputter.

The star deity sent him a sharp glare but there was a definite warm light in his eyes as his hair shined. And the light grew even more beautiful when his glare softened as he smiled shyly. He then, taking hold of one of Hashirama's hands, he hesitantly maneuvered them until their fingers were interlaced together.

Hashirama's face warmed as he grinned and squeezed the other's hand.

"Have you eaten?" Hashiama suddenly asked as he tried to scramble his thoughts together on what to do now.

Obito lifted an eyebrow. "No."

"Great!" Hashriama laughed. "Then I would really enjoy having lunch with you, ah, if you want and aren't busy."

Obito's hair began to sparkle brightly even more despite how he merely shrugged his shoulders and appeared relaxed. "I'm not busy, so sure."

The sun god laughed brightly again. "Then let's eat! And afterward, I can show you around my realm since I don't think you have been here before."

"Um, only around the outer areas." the star god admitted. "And I haven't been in those areas for a number of..." He paused in thought. "Well, let's just say it has been a long time."

"Oh! It will be like you are seeing everything new again!" Hashirama chatted excitedly. He then whirled around and, leading by their interlocked hands, guided them towards the Sun Palace. "But depending on how long it has been, you might be in for some surprises!"

Obito just chuckled in response.

Hashirama cast a look over his shoulder and his chest grew warm by the bright look the other had on his face- all bright eyes and flushed cheeks. It made him even more attractive then he had seen him before and the sun god hoped to see it more.

As the two of them continued to chat and started to know more about each other, Hashirama silently looked forward to their unknown future. Because, despite what some might say, nothing was ever certain; that's what made life so interesting and fun. And the sun god was more than certain that there would never be a dull day with Obito around.


End file.
